Vehicle towing mechanism



, Dec. 6, 1927.

. vA. S. H. BENDER VEHICLE TowING MECHANISM 'Filed Aug. 24. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l wllmwl Dec. 6, 1927.

A. S. H. BENDER VEHICLE TowING 'MECHANISM Filed Aug. 24, 1925 2 sheds-sheet 2 Patented Dec. 6,192.7, I ,E 'i

l UNITED *s'fra'rusg ALEXANDER s. H. BENDER, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VEHICLE 'roWING MECHANISM. j

Application led August 24, v1925. Serial No. 51,897.

In delivering automobiles -fromthe ,factory to distributing stations or to individuals 1n distant cities it has been necessary to pro-- vide a driver for each of the automobiles to 5 be delivered, this arrangement, of course,

being necessary when the automobiles are run on their own power and are not shipped Vby freight.

To obviate the necessity of providing Aa io driver for each automobileV to b e delivered and thereby reducing expenses of transportation which are incurred by each driver to and from the factory, an improved trailing or towing mechanism has been Aprovided i5 whereby Yone automobile may be towed by another with only one driver .in chargeeof both cars.V y

This invention relates more particularly to an improved and simplified towing meehanism for motor vehicles and the like where- `by one car may vtow and steera second car connected toV said first car by rmeans of the improvedtowingv mechanism.

It is an object of this` invention to provide a towing mechanism adapted to be connected to the vdifferential housing ofu one automobile and to the'front axle and steering bar of a second automobile `which is to be towed by the first.

It isfalso anv obfectv of this invention to connect a plurality of automobiles by ,means Vof towing mechanisms, each of which comprises al plurality of connected shafts vor bars which are connectedby means of universal joints with one of said shafts or bars having sliding'engagement with a coupling mechyanism adapted to be connected with the steering bar of the vehicle whichA is tofbep` towed,

i anism adapted toy be connected to the rear end ofa leading automobile and to the front end of a trailing automobile with said mechillustrated in the drawings and hereinafter,

more fully described.

55.' On the drawings:

anism arranged to permit proper steeringV this invention will be apparent from the dis- Figure l is a plan View of an automabileY chassis and a` fragmentary portion of an automobile chassis which is to be towed, said V automobiles being connected by means of an improved `towing mechanism embodying the principles of this invention. y V A Figure 2is an enlarged fragmentary view of the towing 'mechanismtaken l on line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the towing mechanism as shown in Figure 2, including fragmentary portions of automobiles.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detailv section taken on line IV-IV of Figure 3. v v

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail section taken online V-'-.V offFigure 3 with parts in elevation. s f

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail section on line VI-VI of Figure 3 with parts in elevation.

' Figure 7 is a detail section taken on line mobile chassis having a front axle 2 and front wheels 3, said wheels adapted to be steered by means ofasteering bar 4 operabler through the steering rod of the automobile. The chassis is also provided with a differential housing5 and a rear axle housing 6. The improved towing mechanism of this inventionis adapted to have one end thereof connected securely tothe rear axle ,housing of a leading automobile indicated by the letter A, while the other'end of the towingfmechanism is adapted to be'connected to the front axle 2 and steering bar 4 of a second automobile B, which kto be towed lt is an important object of this invention toY provide a simplified vehicle towing mech-` u The improved towing mechanism comprises themain bar 7, twisted at 8 to permit one end 9 .to be positioned at right angles f to the portion 7.rk VV.Rigidly boltedd or vother- "wise secured to the opposite sides yof the Vmain'bar 7 are a pair ofbrackets lOhaving parts thereof curved to permit said brackets to fit around the differential housing 5 of the automobile Aj Each. of the brackets 10 has one end'thereof bentto afford an arm 11 to which isrigidly riveted or otherwise secured a transversely disposed bar or plate 12, the ends of which are apertured to receivel the kthreaded bolt ends of a pair of hooks 13.

yThe hooks as indicated in Figure 2 are Ydispci-sed' above 'and `below the rear axle lipasing 6 and are connected by' of a. chainprovided in one end of sleeve 2G.

axle housing of the antonwbile by nueane of the hoole ll and chains ll as hereinbelore fully deeeribed and ae clearly1 illustrated in Figures El and ol the drawings.

Securely bolted to the end 9 ot' the main bar 7 is a ball member ,l5 (Figure 5) which is engaged bv means oi a hair of abutting `epl'ierical eeetiona lo and lc. both of which are providedV withapertnred inge to permit the spherififal sections to bey securely connected to one ai'iotlier by menne Of bolts lil to atl'ord a universal joint between said connected sections iltl and 17 and the ball member l ineloeed thereby. The section lil' integrallv'formed on one end of; n `connecting` rod or har l0, the other end of which has integrali;7 toi-med thereon a. Socket or spherical Sortino Q0 having' apertnred lugs to permit the .fiume to be bolted by bolts 20 to a socket or spherical lQtection 22, for the punY 1e oil ineliiieing :i ball mem` ber Q3. The socket or apherical Sections 2O and 22. together with, thel ball il'l a-tliord a, universal or ball and Soelvet joint ae (clearly illustrated in Figure el. The socket Section E22 is inlegralh1 'torn'ied on one end ol a stub shalt or rod 24. which isv ol'` c vliiulrical shape to permit the same `to be elidably engaged within a ejvlind leal rer-.ees or pocket The ball member Qlhae an integral bolt portion E27 which .is rigidly Secured in an apertured bracket having integrullj,7 formed thcreon a pair ot aperturcd 'transverse clamping bars Ear-.h ot the apertnred bare- 'arriee` a pair olE bolts El() which also pass through a pair o t clamping bars Ill to allord an arraiugemenl wherelrv the bracket 2S may he ripidi)Y clamped to the middle `portion ot the front axle 2 ol.' the automobile B, which ie to he towed.

The stub shalt 2l positioned to projert over the front axle Q ol the second antomobile, ae clear-lv illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

',lhecl' end oi" the SleeveQG. ie transveraelvpa (fed to receive a Selit-oiling bolt Si! illustrated in detail in Figure 7. The bolt lli! :ferrea to hold a yolied member or forlll pivctallv eonnected with the oleeve 26, `aid sleeve being.;r movablgT engaged on the holt BEL Integrallv formed on one end of the )joked member lil a. socket or eplu-irical member fll having .'iiiiei'tured href-i to permit the saine to he rgidlydiolled to a Socket or `Splurral member l wh ich in also provided with apertnred lugs to receive conn eoting holte. The socket or spherical eectioiu;` let and inclose a ball member 36 to atlord a universal lioint or ball and socket minnection. The ball member 36 has a bolt 37" integrally lffirmedy thereon toihold saldi ball rigidly secured to a bracket or casting 38 having' a transverse groove 39 within which the steeringl bar il et the. antoinobile l ie adapted` te set. Set screws Ll0 are provided in the bracket 38 and project into the groove 39 to permit said bracket S8 to be rigidly secured to the .f iteering bar el.

rFha operation ie as :follows:

The impriiwed lawiner nieehanismembodying); the principleel ot' this invention` is irdaot` ed :for nee when it becomes ncreesary to Le liver two anton'iobiles by using' only one driver. Said driver adapted to operate one et the automoliilee while the Second antomobile is adapted to be towed `andsteered b v menne oit the towing" mechanism ronneetine'` the rear end of the driven car to` the :front end oil' the towed ear.. This. arrangementie very simple and` eliminates the expense which would be incurred if, as ander the old system, a se parate driver were neces Sary for each ol tlie are to be delivered. rTheimproved towing' mechanism may be readilyv p sieenred` in place by plaeingA the. yolred member T--ltl around the rear portion ort the differential housing;` ot tlieantoi mobile A and` then clan'iping Saldi yoked member in place by means of the chains" 1l and the hooks 13 as clearly illustrated in Figures; 2 and il ofthe drawings. The yelinnping bracket 28 and the clamping liars Q9 and 8l are next ri`, ridly` seenredl to tlie middle portion of the front axle 2 ofthe automobile lfl by means ol the` bolts` 30; The bracllzet Q8" ie secured in position to permit the stub sha'tt to project over the top ol. the front axle ol the rear car. The clampingbracliet 3S is rigidly secured tothe middle portion ot the Steering bar 1li oil the antoniohile, fll b v means ol" the set screws 401 The pivoted Sleeve 26 carried hy the yoke 3?. is ol'idaliily engaged over the proiectiinrend ol" the stub eliat't 24, tl'iereby allording a .aliiling'connectionbetween the bracket meol'ianieni. on the iront axle of ilu` antomolfiile B, and the steering bar The pivotal eonnertion between the eleeve 26 and the yoliefl and the ball and soeliet connection luitwecn,` the Yoke 33 and the bracket 39 :Ilford .fi `universal joint permitting the eteerinrr` bar .l' to he operated -for the pnrpoae oli steering; the trent wheclisl B ot the towed. automobile Il. The steering vforce ie transmitted l'roinlhe leading automlgiile Y tlirougrhthe main har T andthe crmnecting `rod l!) to the l'roiit axle i. of the trailing;r `automobile ll and thence by means ol tlle stub^ elialt lland lll) lill) the :sleeve 2G to the steering ba r 4? and `thence towing mechanism permits the automobile B" not only to be towed by the automobile kA but also acts to cause the wheels of the it will of course be understood that if de-v sired more than two automobiles may be connected by means of the improvedftowing mechanism to form a train of automobiles. I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide 1 range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not I purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the priorV art.

I claim as my invention:

l. A vehicle towing mechanism comprising a yoked mechanism, ine-ans forremovably securing the same around `theditferential housing and the rear axle housing of an automobile, a connecting rod, auniversal joint between said connecting rod and said yoked mechanism, a clamping mechanism adapted to be rigidly and removably secured to the front aXle of a second automobile, a

stub shaft rigidly secured to said connectingrod, a universal joint between the said connecting rod and stub shaft and said clamping mechanism, a bracket adapted to be rigidly and removably secured' to the steering bar of said second automobile, a yoked `member, a universal'joint between said yoked member and said clamping bracket, and .a sleeve pivotally connected to said yoked member and having slidable engagement with said stub shaft.

2. A vehicle towing mechanism*comprising a yoked mechanism, means for remov-v ably securing the same to a rear aXle housing of an automobile in a position to straddle the differential housing, a connecting rod, a ball and socket joint connecting one end of said connecting rod with said yoked mechanism, a bracket adapted to be rigidly clamped on the middle portion of the front axle of a `.second automobile, a) Vball and socket joint betweenfthe said bracket and. the other end of said connecting rod, a stub shaft rigidly connected to said connecting rod and projecting'over said front axle of the second automobile, a bracket device rigidly ysecured to the steering bar of said second automobile `rand a sleeve mechanism movably connecting with said bracket device and slidably engaged on said stub shaft.

3. A vehicle towing mechanism of the class described, comprising ay connecting rod, a stub shaft secured on one end thereof, a clamping bracket, a ball and socket joint between said connecting rod and said clamping bracket, a yoked member, a ball and socket joint between said yoked member and said connecting rod, hooks carried by said yoked member, chains connected to said hooks to permit the hooks and chains to be engaged aroundV the rear axle housing of an automobile, a sleeve slidably engaged on said stub shaft and another bracket mechanism pivotally connected to said sleeve to permit said sleeve to be connected with the steering bar of a second automobile.

4., A vehicle towing mechanism comprising a pair of clamping mechanisms adapted to be secured to the rear and front ends of two automobiles, connecting members between said clamping mechanisms, a plurality of universal joints between said connecting members, a stubshaft secured to one` of said connecting members,l a clamping device adapted to be secured to the steering bracket of one of vsaid automobiles, a sleeve slidably engaged on said stub shaft, and a universal joint between said sleeve and said clamping device. Y

5. A Vvehicle towing mechanism comprising a pair of clamping devices, members connecting the same, a plurality of universal joints in said members, a stub shaft connected to said members, a sleeve slidably ,v engaged thereon, a universal joint connected .with said sleeve, and a third bracket device supporting said universal joint.

6. A vehiclel towing mechanism comprising a pair of clamping devices adapted to vbe secured to the front axle and steering baiof an automobile, a telescoping connection between said clamping devices, a yoked mechanism, means for removably securing the same to the rear axle housing of a second automobile, a connecting rod and universal joints at the ends of said connecting rod for coupling the same to said yoked mechanism and to the bracket device secured to the front axle of said tirst mentioned automobile. v

7. A .vehicle towing mechanism comprisinga pair of clamping devices adapted to be secured to two automobiles, connecting members between said clamping devices,

ball and socket connections between said various connecting members, a third clamping device, a ball and socketV joint thereon, and a telescoping connection between said last mentioned ball and socket joint'and one of the previously mentioned ball and socket connections. V n In testimony whereof I Vhave hereunto subscribed my name. ALEXANDE'R S. H. BENDER 

